Mike Mussina’s night is now in the books. Today, he pitched 3 innings, facing 19 batters and threw 72 pitches. Moose walked one, struck out none, allowed 9 hits and 6 runs. Sure, there were some seeing-eye hits in there – but, there were some loud outs in there as well. What was most telling was Mussina’s “stuff” in terms of speed and location. I saw fastballs from Moose tonight that hit 81 and 84 MPH on the YES gun. And, I saw Mussina miss Posada’s target more than a few times as well.

I guess that Joe Torre saw this too – as he took Mike out of the game after 72 pitches, even with the seeing-eye hits having plated some of the runs.

At this stage, Mike Mussina has become to the 2007 New York Yankees what Luis Tiant was to the 1980 Yankees. Moose is an imported star who has reached the end of his effective days. If you told me, at this point, that Mussina would not win another 10 games in the major leagues, I wouldn’t fight you, with tooth and nail, to make you say “Take it back.”

I saw fastballs from Moose tonight that hit 81 and 84 MPH on the YES gun. And, I saw Mussina miss Posada’s target more than a few times as well.
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The latter had more to do with his short start than the former.